Welcome to the third edition of LRE News! We hope this newsletter is becoming a useful tool for you. It was created to provide news on programs and events for those involved with LRE programs. Suggestions and feedback are always welcome. LRE is a “one-stop” shop for teachers, SROs, pre-service teachers and attorneys. Professional development trainings are provided throughout the year on programs such as:

We the People: The Citizenand the Constitution;

We the People: Project Citizen;

Community Works;

Street Law;

Youth Court;

Mock Trial;

Foundations of Democracy;

LawForKids.org;

Law for Teachers; and

S.C. Supreme Court Institute.

of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect
Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common defence, promote the general
Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves
and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution
for the United States of America.
—Preamble, U.S. Constitution

Celebrate Constitution Day—September 17
Did you know that the U.S. Department of Education declared that any education institution receiving federal funds must offer lessons on the U.S. Constitution every year for Constitution Day?

Do you have plans for Constitution Day this year? Read on for fun curriculum, lesson plans and games to use in the classroom.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
In celebration of our nation’s Constitution, the U.S. Department of Education has designated September 17 as annual Constitution Day! The day is intended to prompt any federally funded educational institution to conduct an event of its own design that celebrates the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Programming can be designed as educators see fit to best emphasize this momentous event with their students. Read the Federal Register establishing Constitution Day here.

MATERIALS, LESSON PLANS AND GAMES:
An array of free lesson plans and resources for teachers have been assembled at www.scbar.org/lre for use in the classroom in recognition of Constitution Day. Lessons are provided by the Center for Civic Education, National Public Radio, the National Constitution Center and the Bill of Rights Institute. Another excellent avenue for introducing lessons based around the Constitution is through We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution. This free curriculum comes with training provided by the LRE Division and enhances students’ understanding of the institutions of Constitutional democracy. Free trainings are offered several times throughout the year including September 25-26 and December 10-11.

FIELD TRIP OPPORTUNITY:
Teachers may take classes to their local courthouses during the Constitution Day week of September 17, 2008. Simply contact the local clerk of court for scheduling purposes. Local clerk of court offices may be found here.

INCENTIVES:
• Teachers conducting Constitution Day training as part of a Law Related Education curriculum are encouraged to apply for the LRE Teacher of the Year award, which comes with a $1,000 recognition award for the teacher.
• Schools that participate as part of a Law Related Education curriculum can apply for LRE School of the Year, which offers a $5,000 award to be spent at the school’s discretion.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Click here for a comprehensive list of resources with lesson plans and so much more. This list was put together from multiple sources and teachers. If you find additional resources and you want to share them with others, please send them to kludlow@scbar.org. Need a free Constitution Day Pocket Book or a Constitution Day tool kit? Look no further: www.constitutionday.cc

CALLING ALL COMPETITORS!
Middle School Mock Trial Registration
Complete and return the registration form with a check for a $50 nonrefundable registration fee. (Check should be made payable to South Carolina Bar Law Related Education Division.) All fees go toward competition expenses and two complimentary copies of the case. Mail completed registration form and check to South Carolina Bar LRE Division, P.O. Box 608, Columbia, SC 29202-0608. Limit: one team per school.

Schools interested in starting a mock trial team are welcome to attend a free training scheduled for September 16, 2008. To register, click here.

All registration forms must be received by September 5, 2008.
The case will be released August 29, 2008 @ 5 p.m. at www.scbar.org/lre.
Regional Middle School Competitions: November 22, 2008
State Middle School Competition: December 6, 2008 (Lexington)

High School Mock Trial Registration
Complete and return the registration form for each team registering. With each registration, enclose a check for the nonrefundable $60 registration fee. (Checks should be made payable to South Carolina Bar Law Related Education Division.) All fees go toward competition expenses. Mail to South Carolina Bar LRE Division, P.O. Box 608, Columbia, SC 29202-0608. Limit: Two teams per school.

Schools interested in starting a mock trial team are welcome to attend a free training scheduled for September 16, 2008. To register, click here.

All registration forms must be received by October 10, 2008.
The case will be released October 31, 2008 @ 5 p.m. at www.scbar.org/lre.
Regional High School Competitions:
February 28, 2009
State High School Competition: March 13-14, 2009 (Columbia)

We the People Registration
Registration forms to compete in the statewide mock congressional hearing will be forwarded September 2, 2008. Schools interested in starting We the People are welcome to attend a free training scheduled for September 25-26 2008 or December 10-11, 2008. To register, click here.

If your students have worn out your We the People books and you need a replacement set, e-mail Nic Beza at nbeza@scbar.org to get a new FREE classroom set of 30 textbooks as well as a teacher’s guide.

“Education comes from living life, following passions, accessing information, observing, reflecting, and being inspired by wise and courageous elders in the community.” —Claire Aumonier

Description: Do your students have questions? Do they need answers? Don’t let the students go through life without knowing about this fabulous online program for kids. On February 1, 2008, the Law Related Education Division launched LawForKids.org, a Web site dedicated to teaching children about the law.

LawForKids.org was created with the specific goal of educating South Carolina’s youth, parents, communities and schools about the law and to encourage lawful behavior. The Web site includes an interactive forum in which students may anonymously ask questions about the law and receive correct, factual information from volunteer attorneys. Access to the Web site is free and adapted for South Carolina youth. There are quizzes, interactive games, cartoons, comics, law documents, links to other law related education Web sites and a searchable database on South Carolina law and how it affects young people. Students will find the Web site helpful with research projects and homework assignments, but can also use the site to play games and hear first-hand from their peers about law related incidents and how to best handle various situations.

To access the Web site, visit www.LawForKids.org. Click “other states” in the top right corner of the home page, then select South Carolina on the U.S. map. Users will then have the option of making the South Carolina site their permanent home page.

What's New: Free trainings will be offered to teachers interested in implementing this program on November 13, 2008. The training will include not only an in-depth review of the site, but an opportunity to explore and create lesson plans to bring this program into the classroom. To register, click here.

Free posters and mouse pads to promote LawForKids.org are available to schools. Contact Donald Lanier at dlanier@scbar.org to get your free samples.

Description: We the People: Project
Citizen is
a curricular program for elementary, middle and high school students
as well as youth groups that promotes competent and responsible
participation in local and state government. The program helps
young people learn how to monitor and influence public policy
(a school rule or state law). In the process, they develop support
for democratic values and principles, tolerance and feelings
of political efficacy.

What's New: The Project Citizen Showcase
took place at the S.C. Bar April 17-18, 2008. The showcase allowed students the opportunity to learn about public policy and make change in their school and/or communities. This year’s entries included topics such as traffic congestion, recycling, traffic light, animal care, restaurant smoking bans and much more. The 2008 Project Citizen Showcase winner for middle school was York One Academy from York, and the winner for high school was Chapin High School from Chapin. York One Academy represented South Carolina at the National Legislators Conference this summer and received a "superior" ranking. This not only is the highest ranking, but the second time York One Academy has accomplished this honor.

If you want to learn more about Project Citizen and how
to make change in your school and/or community, you can take a
free two-day training on Project Citizen Sept. 12-13, Oct. 17-18, or Dec. 12-13, 2008.

If your students have worn out your Project Citizen books
and you need a replacement set, e-mail Cynthia Cothran at ccothran@scbar.org to
get a new FREE classroom set of 30 textbooks as well as a teacher’s
guide.

Interested in starting this program at your
school?Click
here for dates and registration information.

Description: We the
People is an in-depth study of American history
with an emphasis on understanding the formation of the Constitution
and its interpretation throughout history. Students compete in
a mock congressional hearing and discuss critical issues regarding
American government, the founding fathers and current events based
on a constitutional perspective.

What's New: Scholars Academy was the state winner
of the 2008 We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Mock
Congressional Hearing. Scholars Academy represented South Carolina
at the national championship in Washington, DC, May 2-6. Congratulations
to all the teams that participated in this competition, as these
students not only learned about the Constitution, but also gained
some skills that will take them through life!

Free trainings are scheduled for Sept. 25-26 and Dec. 10-11, 2008.

Interested in starting this program at your school?Click
here for dates and registration information.

“Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and the whole moving regularly and harmoniously in several orbits.” —John Dickinson (Delaware Delegate), 1787

Description: The Middle School Mock Trial Program is a hands-on
exercise in learning about due process. It is a team activity program
that is most often conducted as an extracurricular activity, but
can also be incorporated into law, forensics or public speaking classes.

What's New: If you thought that mock trial was only for high school, then you thought wrong! Springfield Middle School from Fort Mill won its first state championship title in December 2007, and the first runner-up was North Myrtle Beach. Free trainings will be offered to teachers interested in implementing this program September 16 in Columbia.

If you are planning this year’s schedule, the regional Middle
School Mock Trial competitions are planned for Saturday, November
22, and the state competition will be Saturday, December 6, 2008, in Lexington.

Interested in starting this program at your school?Click
here for registration information.

Description: The High School Mock Trial Program is a hands-on exercise in learning
about due process. It is most often conducted as an extracurricular
activity but can also be incorporated into law, forensics or public
speaking classes.

What's New: Fourteen teams advanced
to state High School Mock Trial competition at the Matthew J. Perry
Federal Courthouse March 7-8. Berkeley High School won the state
championship title, and Dutch Fork High School came in as first
runner-up. Berkeley High School not only had the proud honor of
winning its eighth state championship
title, but also will display the traveling Westbrook Award in its
trophy case for this school year. Berkeley High School represented
South Carolina at the National High School Mock Trial Competition
in Wilmington, DE May 8-11.

Don’t be left out from participating in this wonderful program.
Free trainings will be offered to interested teachers September 16.

If you are planning this year’s schedule, the regional High
School Mock Trial competitions are planned for Saturday,
February 28, the state competition is planned for March
13-14 in Columbia and and the national competition will be May 7-10 in
Atlanta, GA.

Interested in starting this program at your school?Click
here for registration information.

Description: Do you know what one of the fastest growing youth diversion programs
in the nation is? The answer is Youth Court. There are 35 separate
youth courts serving many different communities and schools throughout
South Carolina. In communities, Youth Court is a juvenile diversion
option intended to keep young people with no criminal record out
of the juvenile justice system, allowing them a second chance to
maintain their clean juvenile records. In schools, Youth Court can
handle actual criminal offenses in which the school resource officer
is involved, or it can be inserted into the discipline code to handle
violations of school rules. Youth Court functions like a traditional
court with all the key roles in place. The difference is that all
of those roles are played by youth.

What's New: The 2009 Youth Court Summit is just around the corner on January 10, 2009—don’t forget to register! The first Youth Court networking meeting was held May 23, 2008 in Columbia. Many great things were talked about amongst the new and already established coordinators. LRE wants all Youth Courts to have a voice, and all are encouraged to attend. If you need help getting Youth Court started, need more training, need on-site assistance, or want to register for the summit, contact Krystina Ludlow at kludlow@scbar.org as on-site assistance is available.

Description: Looking
for a curriculum that teaches communication skills and problem
solving skills? Community Works is a program
targeting middle and high school students that can be implemented
in the classroom, after school or in most any other setting. It provides
students with a practical understanding of crime and crime prevention
that is useful in their everyday lives. It can function as a stand-alone
program, or it can be incorporated into a classroom curriculum. The
curriculum includes 31 highly interactive session, it involves community
resource people, and it includes a service learning/action project
component, if desired. This curriculum not only teaches teens to
be resources for each other, but to interact positively with community
members.

What's New: Don't forget to mark your calendar for the two-day training on Community
Works on October
16-17, 2008.

Interested in starting these programs at your school?Click
here for registration information.

Description: Street Law is a course in practical law. It was
designed to provide students with knowledge of what to do when confronted
with a legal problem. Information is presented through student-centered
activities that enable teens to develop as effective citizens. Most
often, Street Law, is taught as a one-semester social studies
elective or in place of a government course. The curriculum can also
be used by teachers of a practical business law class. The curriculum
is correlated to the state standards and is on the SC textbook adopted
list. The curriculum includes a teacher's manual as well as
test banks.

What's New:
Anyone in the mood for some "practical law"? Here is your chance. On
Sept. 18-19, 2008, a Street Law training is being held. (Click
here for registration information.)

“Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.” —John F. Kennedy

(click
here to learn more)Grants, Grants and More Grants
If you haven’t heard the buzz, LRE has been awarding school grants. Daniel High School was able to help fund its mock trial team for both regional and state competitions with the funds, and this is just one example of many. Don’t miss out! Be on the lookout for the 2009-10 grant applications coming in February 2009.

LRE programs are made possible with the support
of the South Carolina Bar Foundation's IOLTA grant and two program
grants through the Center for Civic Education.